


What if

by VGinny



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dared to love, F/M, Flirty Draco, Friends to Lovers, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Love Realisation, Playful Draco Malfoy, Post-War, Swotty Hermione Granger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:49:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27204793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VGinny/pseuds/VGinny
Summary: COMPLETE!Ever since they were forced to be with each other as Heads in their eighth year, Hermione and Draco formed a long lasting friendship. It took them through the two year long Law Enforcement training at the Ministry. Hermione only saw him as one of her good friends, but could a dare at a party make her question everything that their relationship was to her?Excerpt- “As I said before, it will just make you understand what you truly want and give you the courage to act on it.”She turned to Draco. “Do you want to do it?” She felt shy asking him the question.Draco looked in her eyes for a long time. “Only if you want to.”
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 64
Kudos: 353





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, my amazing Beta Kiwi05622. She is amazing! It’s only because of her that this story is reading right.
> 
> Thank you earlgreyhot for your initial help. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story.

Hermione and Draco were on their very last leg of duty as Head Girl and Head Boy, their final and eighth year was at its termination. The Hogwarts Express was an hour away from reaching King’s Cross. Hermione reached the Head compartment at almost the same time that Draco did. Hiding behind his warm smile was a hint of a smirk which she had gotten used to over the past year. This was just Draco. She grinned up at him as he slid the compartment door for her and gestured for her to enter. Because of his pureblood upbringing, being a gentleman came natural to him. It was a breath of fresh air when she compared his ways to Harry and Ron, making them both look quite uncivilised.

What had started as an awkward acquaintance had slowly turned into a strong friendship. She knew him enough, now, to know that the war had forced Draco to become less of the entitled brat that he had been for the past seven years. They had worked, argued, and had long talks that kept them up past their bedtimes. Draco had the capability of having an intelligent conversation with her as opposed to her other friends. Being a pureblood wizard, he had a fascinating view of the world. She had had enough conversations with him to understand the pureblood ways of thinking. It did surprise her when he in turn asked her about her muggle life, taking equal interest in her descriptions as she did over his views.

He elegantly dropped himself on the seat across her. “You Gryffindors get away with everything.”

“What happened now?” she asked, exasperated.

“Beadle hexed Wintrope with a Wartyfrog spell.”

“Really? Meek little Beadle?” Hermione asked sceptically.

“Well, from what the witnesses say, she snapped. She confessed to the crime. Wintrope had been bullying her all year and she had just had enough. I confirmed that with my Slytherin sources, too.”

“So if you caught her red-handed, how did she escape detention?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“I let her go. Wintrope deserved it. I have developed a soft spot for feisty Gryffindor witches, after all.” He winked at her.

She rolled her eyes. They had become close enough that she let him get away with innocent flirting. He was still a little arrogant, a little narcissistic and a bit full of himself. He wouldn’t be Draco without being these things. Though she would eat pus flavoured Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans before admitting it to him, in Hermione’s frank opinion, those traits suited him well. The things that had vanished were his blood prejudices, his pureblood smugness, and the general sense of superiority that came with it. He still thought he was superior to everyone, of course, just not because of those things. He was superior only by being Draco.

“Is Wintrope back to normal?”

“It was such a masterfully cast hex. It would have been a pity to reverse it so quickly. I am letting Wintrope think about his mistakes as he develops frog legs by the end of the hour. I locked him in the compartment. We don’t want him bouncing about the whole train, do we?”

Hermione shook her head. She imagined a huge frog in Slytherin robes, covered in warts, bouncing about in a train compartment. She couldn’t resist a small smile. Draco smirked at her, and she burst out laughing at the ridiculous situation.

“Oh, before I forget, I wanted to give you something,” he pulled out an elegant jewellery case from his bag and pulled out two identical mirrors from it. They had beautiful, intricately carved gold borders. He conjured another case and handed one of the mirrors to her.

“I know you’ll miss me, Granger. This will help you keep in touch with me.”

She rolled her eyes.

“The Parspecs! Wow, Malfoy! Thank you.”

“It’s a family heirloom. Don’t lose it or give it away. I’d kill myself if I saw Weasley’s face in it,” he said.

“I swear I will not let anyone else touch it,” Hermione said, hand over her heart.

Draco retrieved their luggage and carried it to the platform. Ron and Harry, clad in trainee Auror robes, awaited Hermione at a distant pillar. Smiling widely, she hurried towards them.

“Come. I want to re-introduce you.” She turned around and called behind her towards Draco. Draco magically elevated their luggage and followed her with a grimace.

She ran towards her best friends and hugged both of them. She kissed Harry on the cheek and kissed Ron boldly right on the lips. Ron’s ears turned pink as they broke apart. Hermione stepped back beside Draco and introduced him to them as if they had never met before.

Harry and Ron stood with their arms crossed, glaring at Draco. Draco extended his hand and they reluctantly shook it.

“How’s the Dashing Duo today?” Draco asked once his hand was not being crushed.

Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

 _The Dashing Duo completes one year of their Auror training._ That had been front-page news on yesterday’s Daily Prophet. Harry and Ron’s photo accompanied that headline, clad in the very robes that they were wearing.

Ron opened his mouth to retort when Ginny found them. She only had eyes for Harry. She ran into his arms and, to the annoyance of her brother, kissed him passionately. Draco’s smirk became much more pronounced at Ron’s clear displeasure.

“Draco!” Daphne Greengrass called across several families and waved at Draco to join them. Hermione could see all the Slytherins bunched together. Astoria, her younger sister, was waving shyly at Draco.

“I will take your leave. See you around, Granger,” he said to Hermione and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He looked pointedly at Ron and smirked at his outraged expression. “Weasley, Potter.” He nodded towards a stunned looking Harry.

Hermione was apprehensive to state the least. Ginny was the only calm one. Draco nodded to her, “Ginerva.” He gave her a salute.

She hated when he called her that and he liked to rile her up. Ginny folded her hands. “Dracula,” she said, smiling widely at him.

He smirked and walked towards the Slytherins, his luggage floating beside him and creating a wide path for him as people darted apart.

———————————

Whilst at Hogwarts, Hermione was able to research extensively on the whereabouts of her parents. With the help of British and Australian Ministry, she was happy to finally have found them. She started the long process of bringing them back as soon as she got out of Hogwarts.

She first decided to make their home liveable for them. She apparated outside her parents’ house, the place she had grown-up in. The house looked normal from the outside. She lifted the heavy muggle repelling charm that she herself had put on their house two years ago.

She carefully unlocked the house. The living room was completely upended. The Death Eaters clearly had been there in her family’s absence. They had destroyed most of their belongings, apparently looking for any evidence of her whereabouts. The furniture lay in bits, torn books, photos and documents littered all over the floor. All the other rooms were in similar states of wreckage.

Even with magic, it took her fifteen days to clean their house. Ron, Harry and Ginny had helped with the final set-up. The day the house was ready, they had stayed for an evening of drinks and takeaway dinner.

When her guests went home for the evening, the empty house started haunting her. She missed her parents dearly. She also missed Draco. Being around him for a year became a routine for her, and part of her life. After no contact from him for fifteen days, she found herself a little annoyed and angry at him.

She decided to take the matter in her hands. The alcohol in her gave her that little courage she needed to make the first step. Hermione braved a Twin-Mirror call to Draco. She half-hoped and half-dreaded that he would not answer, but after two minutes there he was, looking at her through the mirror, eyes as grey as ever, but there was a hint of something unfamiliar, something she hadn't seen for a very long time, they were hard and cold.

Hermione, ignoring the nervousness in the pit of her stomach, couldn’t help but beam at him affectionately. She had missed him dearly. Draco’s hard expressions suddenly softened.

“Hi!” Hermione squeaked.

“Granger!” Draco drawled.

The silence stretched on forever. Hermione almost ended the call.

“How are you?” He asked.

That was all the prompt she needed. Talking with Draco about everything in her life came naturally to her. She had done that everyday when they were at Hogwarts.

He became much warmer as Hermione talked about what she had been doing, her future plans. Both of them had applied for a training in Magical Law Enforcement and had been accepted. Hermione told him her plan of moving into a flat in London with Ginny once she started working for the Ministry. He told her he was going to live in a London townhouse that the Malfoys owned. She told him about her efforts to get her parents back from Australia. They spoke for hours into the night.

The doorbell rang loudly, jolting Hermione to wake up. She looked around, disorientated. Her Parspec was still beside her. She had fallen asleep while talking to Draco.

She sluggishly clambered down the stairs in her pyjamas. The doorbell rang again, loud and demanding. Looking through the peephole, she saw pale blond hair. Her eyes widened at the surprise of seeing him there. She swung the door to find Draco Malfoy on her front steps, looking very handsome in Muggle clothes.

“Good morning, Granger,” he said. He smirked at her as he looked at her from head to toe, “You look -charming”

Groaning inwardly, she could only imagine the state of her hair at that moment, it can only resemble a very badly constructed bird's nest.

“Good morning?” She looked quizzically at him.

He sauntered into the house as if he owned it and was looking around the living room when Hermione closed the door behind him and followed him in.

“Merlin’s briefs, Granger! Don’t Muggles have mirrors? You could have used the Parspec. Did your hair reproduce in the night? It looked nice yesterday in the mirror.”

She rolled her eyes at him. She had tamed her hair last night.

“I haven’t even woken up properly, Malfoy. Give my hair a break. Make yourself comfortable. I will be back in ten minutes.”

He, of course, followed her upstairs to her bedroom, ignoring her very annoyed, exasperated sighs. He sat himself down on her unmade bed and made himself comfortable by lying on his side, resting his weight on one of his elbows. She raised her hands in disbelief and went to her closet to get her clothes. She strode towards her bathroom.

“Do you want me to come in there?” he asked loudly.

She closed the door of her bathroom with a bang and locked it for good measure. She could still hear him chuckle.

After exactly ten minutes, she opened the door of her bathroom tentatively. Looking around her room, she was relieved when she didn't find Draco where she last left him. She picked up her wand and flicked it towards the bed to tidy it and made her way downstairs to look for him.

She found him in the kitchen. He had made a blue flame on the counter top of the island and was happily cooking eggs, he was making her favorite, sunny side up.

“Grab a plate, Granger.”

Hermione summoned a plate, and he carefully dropped the egg neatly, followed by two slices of freshly toasted bread. She took the empty pan from his hands and extinguished the flames.

“I got the eggs from that cold cupboard,” Draco said.

“That’s called a refrigerator, and this is a stove. We cook on it, not on fires conjured on other surfaces of the kitchen.”

Hermione cut some fruits and made a pot of coffee as he made his way to the stove to make some more eggs. After the hearty breakfast, he asked her, “So what do we do now?”

“What do you mean?”

“You told me yesterday that Potter and Weasley have training and can’t help you, so I am here, at your service.” He made a mock salute. He slathered a generous amount of butter on his toast and took a small bite.

“You want to help me reset my parents’ lives?”

“Why is that a surprise?”

Hermione took a sip of coffee to think of an answer which would not offend him.

“It just is. You don’t owl, call, or Floo me for fifteen days, and then suddenly you are here at the crack of dawn...”

“It’s eight...”

“I slept late,” Hermione snapped back. “We were talking for hours....”

“I had given you the mirror. I expected you to call me...”

“You have the other mirror too. You could have contacted me as well.”

“I didn’t know you wanted to talk to me after Hogwarts. Didn’t know if the ex-Death Eater was good enough for the war heroine to remain friends with.”

Hermione paused the bickering by taking a deep breath.

“Don’t be stupid, Draco. I told you a million times that it doesn’t matter anymore,” Hermione looked seriously at him.

“You have an image to follow up to when outside of Hogwarts. I thought you would not want to ruin it by being friends with me.”

“I am a Gryffindor, Draco. We don’t make friendships for society's sake. And we don’t break them to keep up with their image of us either,” Hermione said patiently.

“Well, you should.”

“But I don’t.” Hermione dismissed his ridiculous thought process. “Do you want to help or not?”

“That’s what I am here for,” he said. Draining his too-sweetened coffee, he got up and followed Hermione out of her house.

———————————

Hermione went to Australia on the 20th of July. Mr Weasley had accompanied her as her moral support and a Ministry representative. She modified her parents’ memories and, at first, they were very disoriented, as expected. Arthur came back after two days, leaving her to care for her parents and giving the family a much needed private time. The Australian Ministry had provided a healer, who recommended that they stay in Australia for at least a month until their condition stabilised. At first, her parents were distraught and angry at her, rightfully so, but once they understood what she had done to keep them safe, they were proud of their daughter.

As she had rightfully predicted, they wanted to come back to England after they settled their current affairs. She told them they needn’t hurry, but after living away from their daughter for so long in body and in mind, they wanted to be closer to her. She apologised every day that she was there, and they put her at ease every time. She spent ten happy days with them in the small town that they had settled in. She reluctantly left them at the end of the month, so that she could manage the situation at home.

It took her the whole month to put things right in England, even with Draco’s help. They modified memories and Confunded a lot of Muggles. The version that the Muggles would remember was that the Grangers had gone for a two year long rejuvenation retreat to Australia. They had come back in time to see their daughter off for higher education. They were going to resume their old practice. If anyone thought too profoundly or started asking too many questions, they were quickly reminded of something very important that they had to do, and they would promptly forget about the Grangers. Her old neighbours and the business owners around her parents’ dental practice all had glassy looks in their eyes when they came across the Grangers’ lovely daughter and her strange boyfriend.

The Dental practice that Hermione rented out to was being difficult, even despite the very thorough contract that the Dentist had signed two years ago, which had stated that he was to give the practice back at one month’s notice. Draco had several contacts who played with Muggle real estate for investment. He asked them for a favour, and Dr. Rogers, very luckily, found a practice across town, tailored to all his expectations. He left quite happily after that.

———————————

Hermione and Draco were both training to become Magical Law Enforcement officers. Though he had enough money to stay at home and look after the family investments, Draco worked hard to complete the training. He and Hermione were always neck in neck with their marks. The first year of training was finished and the summer was upon them.

Hermione and Ron were still together. Their relationship was not easy. Ron was highly insecure. He constantly needed praise to keep feeling better about himself and Hermione was getting tired of doing that after two years with him. Ginny, her current roommate, was going to move in with Harry at Grimmauld Place, so Ron was going to come live with her. The live-in relationship scared her. She was hoping that their fights would lessen with more time together but her rational mind was telling her that the opposite was more likely to happen.

Draco started dating Astoria. She irked Hermione for some reason, though she appeared to be a perfectly nice person on the whole. Draco did not talk about her very much. Whenever Hermione met her, she thought of her as a typical pureblood housewife material. She had thought he would not find someone so stereotypical after leaving the ideologies of pureblood supremacy behind.

She asked him about that tauntingly one day, and he responded, “I date her because she is the stark opposite of you. I don’t like to be reminded of what I can’t have, Granger.” Hermione gaped at him for almost a minute, he looked very serious. Deciding to herself that he was only joking with her, like he always did, she snorted and rolled her eyes at him.

“Right! Like you would ever want to date me!” She scoffed at him.

“Please don't presume that you know what I want, Granger. For that matter, I am sure you don’t know what you want either.” His serious expressions turned mocking.

“Really, Malfoy?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I am exactly where I want to be.” She pointed around their office.

“I am not talking about your career. I am talking about your relationship.”

Hermione turned pink. Draco knew almost all of her problems with Ron. She tried to keep things from him, but he was good at reading her mood swings. She always ended up telling him about their fight without getting into too many details.

“Oh, sod off Malfoy!”

“You know I’m right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will be every Monday. 
> 
> A surprise for the third chapter is in the making with one of my most favorite artists in the fandom. 🤩
> 
> Kudos and Comments are love! 💕
> 
> VGinny


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to my fabulous Beta Kiwi05622

**Chapter Two**

It was the last year of Hermione and Draco’s training. Harry and Ron had been Aurors for only six months when Ron wanted to leave his job. He was a decent Auror, but he was not able to handle the pressure of the job. Hermione tried to convince him that he should give it more time. He had been spending time at George’s shop and had helped develop some of the joke items. George had offered a partnership with him and he had jumped the gun. He was going to put all his First Class Order of Merlin money into the partnership. 

George and Harry convinced her that it was a good idea. George said that Ron was only next best to Fred with the creativity for the jokes. Harry told her that Ron really had been struggling with the job, and was unhappy. Hermione argued that Ron had always wanted to be rich and that was why he was doing it. Harry shrugged and agreed with her. She still disliked Ron’s shillyshally attitude, but she was always going to support him if that was what Ron really wanted. 

Time flew by and it was six months since the change of his job, and Ron was much happier. She was delighted for him and glad to have been wrong in her judgement of him. They had hardly spoken to each other for a couple of months because of their schedules. Ron had late working hours as the shop was open late in the night and Hermione went to work early in the morning. She was in the last few days of her training and was preparing to have her final exam. Hermione had been given two days to prepare for the exam and she decided to surprise Ron by visiting the shop. The evening sun was glinting on the windows of Gringotts as she stepped into Diagon Alley. 

The shop was bustling with people, even though the closing time was near. She looked around and finally spotted George and Ron. They were busy with customers. Ron just had time to wave at her once when he saw her. 

She waited patiently for half an hour, standing outside the shop. She waited for Ron to come talk to her for a minute or so, but she was disappointed on that front. He really was working hard. She was proud of him. She tried to make herself invisible, but youngsters, prompted to do so by their parents, still came to her for autographs. 

Once the last of the customers left, she entered the shop to find Ron in conversation with the two assistants that they hired. They were both recent graduates from Hogwarts. She did not remember their names. After they were dismissed, one shook hands with her nervously and asked for an autograph. She denied shyly at first, but gave it to him after he insisted on it. The other gave her a nasty look before chirpily saying goodbye to George and Ron. 

Ron was moody throughout dinner. They came home and Hermione asked him casually what his assistant’s problem was. To which he replied, “Just because Miley didn’t ask for your autograph did not mean that she had a problem with you.” 

Hermione was shocked by the venom in his voice. She calmly said, “I am asking because she gave me a really nasty look before leaving.” 

“Again, just because she was not head-over-heels enthused about meeting you doesn’t mean she is nasty.” 

“What’s wrong with you? I didn’t say that  _ she _ was nasty.” 

“She happens to be a very good assistant.” 

“That’s great!” Hermione said a little aggressively. 

“She doesn’t argue with me on every little thing,” he said pointedly. 

“That’s great, too. Why don’t you ask her out? She seemed interested in you.”

“Just like Malfoy is interested in you?” 

“What? What’s Draco got to do with anything?”

“Everything! I know he flirts with you, I have seen the way he looks at you.” 

“Like a friend looks at another friend...”

He scoffed. 

“We have been over this many times, Ron. He is just a good friend.”

“I know you tell him everything about us. Well, I have found someone I can confide in too and she happens to think it’s all your fault.”

“Oh... that was what the nasty look was about...”

“Maybe. She does think that you are a heartless bitch.”

“You are so immature, Ron.” 

“It’s good that you are tasting your own medicine. Isn’t it bitter?”

“I can’t believe you can stoop to this level to be vengeful.”

“Vengeful? Why is it so unbelievable to you that I have found someone who is interested in what I have got to say?”

“Congratulations! Go ahead with it.” 

“I am serious, Hermione. I don’t want to be with you.” 

“What?” Hermione was dumbfounded. She thought this was one of the usual arguments that they were having. 

“I am attracted to her. I was going to tell you after your exam, but... since we are on the subject... here it is. I don’t want to be with you anymore.” He paused and continued after Hermione did not respond. “I will leave tonight. I am going to go to Harry and Ginny’s.” 

“Ron...?” 

“I have been very unhappy, Hermione. Haven’t you noticed?”

“I have been unhappy, too, Ron. Doesn’t mean I gave up on our relationship.” 

“Well, I am giving up on it. I was unhappy at the Ministry, so I left it and I am very happy with my decision. I have learnt not to linger in the unhappiness.” 

Without another word, he went to their bedroom and started packing his trunk. Hermione was beside herself with sadness and rage. She went into the other bedroom and sat on the bed. It was very selfish of him to do this just two days before her exams, but when had Ron ever been considerate? She vowed not to cry in front of him. She summoned her books from the living room and forced herself to pretend to read. She had learnt a little Occlumency from Draco. She concentrated hard on compartmentalising her mind. 

When Ron came to say his final goodbye he found her fully emerged in her books. She did not even look up at him. She just said, “Leave your key on the entryway table.” 

There was a pause. She forced herself to keep her eyes on the book. She waited for him to say something, but she was mistaken on that front. There was the unmistakable sound of footsteps leaving from the door and after a few seconds the main door of her flat closed. 

She allowed herself only a moment before resuming her studying. She was not going to let him ruin her career. She hardly moved from her place for two days. Ginny found her the next night surrounded by books in disheveled day clothes, her hair tangled and wild. Ginny still had a key to the flat. Hermione just looked up to greet her and continued studying. Ginny knew her enough not to distract her when she was in her element. 

Hermione could hear Ginny moving about in the kitchen. After a day of complete silence, it felt nice to have a friendly presence in the house. She continued to read. After fifteen minutes, Hermione was served with a freshly made steaming hot onion soup and bread. 

“Eat before it gets cold.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Ginny nodded, and Hermione glanced once at her retrieving form.

Hermione went back to her book. 

“I know he is my brother, but he is an arsehole.” Ginny’s voice said from the doorway. By the time Hermione glanced up again, Ginny had already been gone. 

She glanced at the soup. It smelt very appetising. Her empty stomach growled. Hermione loved Molly’s onion soup, and Ginny made it just like her mother did. She felt very taken care of at that moment. She burst into tears. She cried for half an hour. The soup was still hot. Ginny had put a long lasting heat charm on it. When she finally calmed down, she devoured it. She felt better after crying out. The food helped, too. She took a long bath before resuming her studying. 

  
  


————————————

The exam lasted for five days. Hermione was moody throughout. She avoided Draco by coming to the Ministry just before the exam and leaving just after. He tried to talk to her on the first day, but after she blew him off, he did not badger her for the next three days. 

The last day was a practical exam. They were to argue a real case in front of the Wizengamot. They were waiting for their turns outside Courtroom one. Draco sat beside her. She was re-reading the notes of her case for the hundredth time and she didnt bother to look up at him. 

“Granger,” he drawled, nudging her slightly. She took a deep breath and proceeded to ignore him. 

“We both know you can recite all that rubbish in your sleep.” He tried to pry the notes out of her hands. 

She ignored him. 

He gave an exaggerated sigh 

“All of us are heading to the Leaky tomorrow to celebrate,” said Draco. “You're coming, yeah?”

“No,” said Hermione briskly. “I’ll be home, getting some well-deserved sleep.”

“Turn in early tonight.”

Hermione flipped over a parchment and buried her nose in it. “Thank you for the invitation, but I don’t want to.”

“Oh, come off it. In two weeks we’ll be joining the Law Enforcement. Celebrating is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” 

“You don’t know that. Results aren’t out until next week.”

“I’m going,” said Draco confidently, “and the whole Wizarding World knows you are going to top the exams.”

“ _ You don’t know that! _ ” she all but yelled in the silent corridor.

Her fellow classmates stared at her, stunned to silence. Draco stared calmly back at her. 

Hermione laid her hands flat over the parchment to still her shaking hands. “I don’t even know if I am going to pass,” she said, so soft that her quiet voice drew Draco closer to her.

  
  


Draco pulled the notes from her lap and charmed them to float away with a wave of his hand. She tried to grab them, but he put his hands on top of her arms and turned her to face him. 

“Granger, I know how you get over exams, but this is the last exam that you are ever going to take, and you  _ do  _ know you’ll be the best. Just... Stop being the swottiest of the swotts for once.”

“Draco Malfoy, you give me back my notes,” she said angrily, struggling to get out of his grip. 

“No.” He let go of her and stood up. He snatched the notes from air and lifted them above his head. The height difference between them made it impossible for her to reach them without jumping up and down, looking silly in front of her batchmates.

“Draco Malfoy, I swear to Godric, I will turn you into a ferret permanently if you don’t give me back my notes this instance.”

“You won’t.”, he challenged her.

“Don’t test me.”

He smirked at her. 

“I won’t come to the party if you don’t give me the notes.”

“So if I give them to you, will you come?”

“Fine! Yes, I will be there!” 

“Here.” He handed them to her and smirked at his achievement. 

She took the notes and stomped back to her seat muttering about insufferable ferrets. 

“You know you love me, Granger.” 

“I have never hated you more, Malfoy.” 

Draco relaxed back into his chair, spreading his legs comfortably and tapping his knee against hers. She bit her lip reflexively to hide a smile. She looked down at her notes, her mind settled and less frantic.

She argued her case well, and after all the hard work she had put into her studies the past year, she was a Magical Law Enforcement officer at the Ministry of Magic. She hated to admit that Draco was right. The exams had been very easy for her. Most of the Wizengamot were in awe of their favourite war heroine, even more impressed with her after the well thought-out arguments that she had put forth. 

The same couldn’t be said about Draco, he came out of the room looking unhappy. However, their trainer reassured him they had been tougher on him because of his ex-Death Eater status, and assured him that they were happy with his efforts. 

Draco’s previous playful mood was gone. He looked sulky and preoccupied. To improve his morals she faked enthusiasm and reminded him of the next day’s party. 

His eyes crinkled as he smiled at her, “I will come to pick you up at your place.”

Hermione nodded.

When she arrived back home, all Hermione wanted to do was go to sleep. Her belly rumbled loudly, but food would have to wait for now, she stepped into the room and dragged her exhausted body into Ginny’s previous bed, not bothering to change out of her clothes. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she drifted to a deep slumber. She slept for fourteen hours. Her stressed and overworked brain needed the rest. 

After breakfast she looked around her messy flat. She had avoided being in her bedroom for the past week, preferring to sleep in Ginny’s previous room and enter her room only to gather clothes and other essentials. It was time to claim it back. 

She cleaned up the living room and the kitchen with magic, which took less than ten minutes. She tidied up Ginny’s room before starting with hers. Ron had not been thorough in taking his possessions. She found some of his clothes, Quidditch trinkets, and books scattered around the room. She put everything in a cardboard box along with their photos as a couple, which had stood by her bedside table. She resisted the urge to burn the box but instead she put it aside in the living room. 

She went shopping and got new bedroom upholstery. She changed all the bedcovers and magically changed the colour of the carpet. She even replaced the framed art with newer ones. After she was done, it was as if she was living in an entirely different room. 

She sighed and laid on the bed for a few minutes before getting up and calling Ginny for help. She unexpectedly felt excited to go out. It was as if the cleaning had been a cleanse for her soul. 

By the time Ginny came around, Hermione was ready in a knee length blue dress with a black cardigan. 

“Merlin, Granger, you clean up well,” Ginny said in an accurate impression of Draco. 

Hermione laughed. 

“Do something with my hair, please!” Hermione begged her. 

Ginny helped her put Sleakeasy’s solution to her hair. Once they were done, Hermione’s hair was halfway to the waist and stylishly wavy. She slipped on a thick black headband that Ginny let her borrow.

Ginny sifted through Hermione’s jewelry box and found the elegant pendant and matching ear-tops that her parents had gifted her for Christmas. “What about these? They go so well with your dress.”

She never had the chance to wear them with Ron so that was one less reminder of him. She put them on. 

As Ginny was leaving, Hermione handed her the box with Ron’s belongings. 

“Give it to your brother.” 

“He doesn’t live with us anymore. Moved in with George at his flat, over their shop.” 

“Oh.” Hermione gestured to take the box back. 

Ginny didn’t hand it back. “I will take care of it, don’t worry. And since the arse is out of our house, you can come visit anytime.” 

“I will!”, she smiled back at Ginny.

As Ginny was leaving she looked at the door-side platform and nodded at it. “You have unopened mail.”

“What? I didn’t receive any owls for the last week.” Yet on the wood lay an official looking letter, stamped with a wax seal. She reached for it. 

“It’s dated on the day Ron left. Maybe he received it.” Ginny said. 

“And forgot to give it to me,” said Hermione, still holding it. What if it had been important? She fumed at Ron. 

“Well, I will leave you to it,” said Ginny. “Goodnight.”

As soon as the deadbolt snapped in place, Hermione touched the seal, and it opened for her. She skimmed over the first words, but once she realized what she was reading, she gripped the letter hard, the paper crinkling and warping in her grasp. Peterson, Corner and Bates, a well-known, private law enforcement firm in America, offered her a position. 

She mentally converted the stated salary package from dollars to galleons. The paper nearly tore from her tightening grip. They wanted her in their headquarters, in New York. They made it abundantly clear that they were  _ very  _ interested and were looking forward to hearing from her.

Before the break-up with Ron she would never have considered a new life in a new country. Her fingertips buzzed from the weight of the letter, at the possibilities written on it. 

The doorbell rang. She hastily put the letter and the envelope back on the platform and pushed her disarray of thoughts to the back of her mind. 

She opened the door, and there Draco was. He was wearing a simple black shirt and beige trousers. He made the simple outfit look extraordinary. 

“Good evening! Do come in!” Hermione gestured for him to enter. “I’ll just get my purse.”

She went into her bedroom and fixed her lips. She grabbed her, one and only, basic black purse, got into her black heels, and went back to the living room. She cursed under her breath when she saw that Draco had the letter from the law firm in his hands. She knew how nosy he was. She should not have left the letter there. 

“That’s a lot of money!” He nodded in approval. “Pity the Golden Girl would never think of leaving her Dashing Duo behind. Even for this amount of money!” He waved the letter at her, his tone mocking. 

“Actually, I am thinking about it,” Hermione blurted out. 

His smirk vanished, eyes widening and light skin further paling. “You want to leave the continent?”

Even for wizarding folk, moving across the continent was a big deal. Transport across oceans was not as easy as land to land transports. Other shorter distances were easily manageable with Apparation, Floo, or flying. Cross continental transport was only possible by Portkeys. The Ministry regulated those Portkeys, making them considerably expensive and tedious for daily or frequent transport. 

His countenance drew blank, grey eyes dulling as his thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind. Occlumency. She knew the signs. He had taught her, after all. 

“Well, looks like tonight we have something additional to celebrate.”

Hermione nodded warily. 

“Shall we get going?”

Another nod. 

He offered her his arm as they stepped out into the hallway. 

“Would you like to walk? Or apparate?”

“Let’s walk.” She lived just a couple streets away from the Leaky Cauldron. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> Updates every Monday.
> 
> Kudos and comments are very much appreciated.
> 
> How do you like the chapter? The next one is going to be a very exciting one, we have an amazing art coming up for it.
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> Love,
> 
> VGinny


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> Sorry for the delay.  
> Again, thanks to my amazing amazing beta for the support and love. kiwi05622  
> The amazing art in the story is created by the great Avendell.

**Chapter Three**

Though he tried to hide it with talks of Quidditch, Ministry and Cases; she could feel that the news of her possible move to America had unnerved him. 

They reached the Leaky and after greeting Tom the bartender, went to sit at the large booth at the back of the pub. Their classmates were already sitting there. She greeted Michael Corner, Hannah Abbott and Theodore Nott. 

Hermione distractedly remembered that she had forgotten to have any dinner. She was going to munch on some of the leftovers from lunch but she had been sidetracked by the law firm letter. They ordered the drinks and some bar food. Draco got the second round of drinks and toasted to cross-continent offers from big Law firms. He made it obvious that Hermione had been the one to receive it but she was glad that he did not reveal any other details. 

Hermione saw a glint of mischief in Theo’s eyes as he stared intently at Draco. “Why don’t we toast to your news too?” Theo asked Draco. 

“What news?” Draco asked. 

“I heard from Pansy that the Greengrasses had come to visit your parents. She even hinted about a possible engagement between the two families. Are you and Astoria engaged?” Theo asked. 

“I was about to tell you guys...” Draco said looking around the group. Hermione unexpectedly felt a twinge of pain in her chest. 

“I was especially dying to tell you, Theo...” He smiled at Theo showing all his teeth. Never a good sign. “To keep your arse out of my business.” 

The group sniggered. Theo chuckled too. Hermione felt relieved. She was confused by her own reaction. Theodore had a knowing look on his face as he glanced at her. She was very bad at hiding her thoughts. She knew her pain must have shown on her face. That was one of the reasons why she had learned Occlumency from Draco. That night, she just was too distracted to control her expressions in time. 

Draco thankfully was oblivious to her reactions as he was sitting next to her. He was busy, still glaring at Theo. He had casually put a hand around the back of her chair. Hermione bought the next round for everyone. The cocktails were making their presence known as she felt herself laughing uncontrollably at the friendly banter between Michael and Theo. She had leaned into Draco in one of her laughing fits and he had put an arm around her shoulders. She felt tiny, tucked under his heavy arm. She also felt very protected and cared for. Her inhibitions were muted enough that she leaned her head on the side of his chest. He smelled wonderful. She felt herself breathing heavily in the musky, earthy smell. 

The group decided to head home after their fourth round. Hermione felt wobbly. She had barely nibbled on the bar food. Draco put an arm around her waist as she started for the door a little unsteadily. Theo had another party to attend and he was inviting the group along to visit a recently renovated magical pub with him. He was raving about the unique magical drinks that they served. 

“They sound illegal.” Hermione interrupted him. He was describing in detail what Blaise had experienced when he had had a drink called Loa loa. According to Theo, he had felt a burst of emotions equal to the eruption of the largest volcano of the world. 

“They are not. They use only Ministry approved potions mixed with alcohol. The pub is providing the unique drinks for two weeks. They have invited an ancient witch from South America who is supposed to be one of the greatest potioneers of the world. She travels all around the world. Only visits Britain once in a few years.” 

“Whatever she is brewing, can’t be legal,” Hermione scoffed. 

“How do you know what she does is authentic or not if you haven’t even tried it? From what I have heard, she is brilliant at what she does, ”Theo challenged her. 

“Why would anyone want to put unknown potions in their bodies?” she pushed further. 

“You wouldn’t. Some of us are more open minded,” Theo taunted. He had that same mischievous glint in his eyes that she had noticed back in the bar. She knew he was goading her. 

“I am very open minded. I am just not stupid to drink anything anyone gives me. It can have lasting or delayed effects.” 

“Sure, Granger,” Theo said. “In other words you are just chicken.” 

Hermione was outraged. “I am not! I am a Gryffindor.” 

“Oh yeah. You are a Gryffindor chicken.” 

Part of her brain that was not addled by alcohol tried to control the rest but it was a futile effort. “I will prove it to you. I will be there and I will try anything you dare me to.”

“Really?” Theo looked very happy with his achievement. “You are going to regret it and I am going to have fun! Draco you’re coming right? What about you two?” He asked Michael and Hannah. They both denied. 

“Alright. I will head over there to add us to the party.” Theo clapped his hand together. “You two” he pointed at Draco and Hermione, “follow me in a few.” 

  
  
  


Theo apparated away. Michael and Hannah bid their farewells too and went home.

Draco still had his hand around her waist. She barely reached his shoulder even with her heels. She looked up at him apprehensively and said, “You won’t let anything happen to me right?”. 

He chuckled. “Yes, Granger. I will take care of you no matter what.” His voice was uncharacteristically soft. She smiled at him, convinced at his sincerity. 

“You don't need to go, I can make up some excuse for you,” Draco told her. 

“And be called chicken by Theo all my life? No thanks. I said I will be there, so I will be there.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, It’s just...”

“What?”

“I am so hungry!”

“Didn’t you have dinner?”

“No. I forgot to eat.”

“Why didn’t you say so before?”

“I was going to go home and eat something before bed but now that we are going to another pub...”

“What would you like to eat?”

  
  


Ten minutes later Hermione was having the greasiest burger she had ever eaten at a famous Muggle eatery that was open 24/7. She was being messy but the food in her system felt welcomed. Draco had grabbed one too and was enjoying it from the looks of it. She dabbed at her mouth when she finished three quarters of the burger. Draco had finished his and finished Hermione’s too when she declared she was full. 

She was a lot more stable on her feet as they apparated across the city to a very posh neighborhood. She could see the very famous Harrods building across the street. They crossed a few shops and came to a popular Muggle pub called Tattersalls Tavern. The bar was crowded. She was just thinking that no more people could possibly fit inside it, when the small pub expanded in front of her eyes. Another identical entrance stood beside the muggle one. 

The magical pub was poles apart from the Muggle one. While the muggle pub had mutely lit, classy glass display windows with hanging pots adorning it, the magical section was a riot of colours. The neon signs that decorated the muggle window for festivities were still alive on the magical windows and made appearances on their own whims. A reindeer wearing a Father Christmas hat trotted away from left to right as a green witch chased him on a broom. They made their way to the very crowded establishment. The black board outside the tavern flashed the sign of “World famous potion mistress Madam Cocom catering to your needs at the Magical Tattersall tavern! Last two nights!”. 

Hermione made to stand behind an awkward looking couple at the end of the long line when Draco stopped her. A scary looking warlock was managing the crowd. Draco went to the warlock and whispered something in his ears. The harassed looking wizard’s irritated expressions vanished. He nodded towards Draco and sent a memo flying in the establishment with a wave of his hand. Hermione stood looking through the odd crowd as they waited for their entry in the pub. She guessed they were creatures disguised as humans for the benefit of Muggles. When she took a closer look she could see the pale complexion, sharp canines and odd brown eyes of a couple. There was a group of women who had extremely long fingers and green tinged complexion. 

The security wizard demanded their hands and put a charmed tattoo on their wrists. It said “Madam Cocom” and had that day’s date. She saw both their tattoos turn from purple to green. 

A few moments later, Theo came to escort them in. Draco grabbed Hermione’s hand and put her behind Theo. He firmly put his hands on top of her arms to protect her from the crowd. His chest was firm against her back. She awkwardly squirmed to put some distance between them. Theo led them through the crowd and down the stairs. 

They had to show each of their tattoos to a glass window on the door and it opened for them.

The pub was fashionably dimly lit and she had to watch her foot as she followed Theo. 

It was full but not crowded. Hermione immediately noticed the music as it was very different from the loud one that was playing in the upstairs section. She did not recognise the language of the song but it was enhancing the chic yet classy atmosphere of the room. Music really did create magic, she thought. 

Theo led them to a table at the back of the pub. Blaise Zabini was sitting with a group of very beautiful women. The dark haired girl that was wearing a black dress with a plunging neckline looked like a runway model. Her shimmery black dress was made of some magical material. It shimmered with every moment in a mesmerising way, the ripples formed different geometric patterns as they moved around. The neckline was almost till her belly button and she looked completely comfortable with that. Theo sat beside her and put his arm around her. She gave him a small kiss. Blaise was with a very pretty blonde. She was wearing a very short dress in shocking pink colour. Both the girls smiled at them. 

Draco gestured to her to get in the semicircular booth next to the blonde witch. The others squeezed in as they sat down. Theo and Blaise introduced them to their dates. As she had guessed, the dark haired girl was a famous French model called Jeanne and her blonde haired friend was a half-Britt-half-French witch called Ella. The two of them had attended Beauxbatons together. 

More so to ignore the PDA of the two couples, Hermione looked around the room. The disguises were off, and she could see the creatures in their proper form, freely enjoying their drinks. Several goblins were drinking quietly in a corner looking down their noses at other creatures and wizards. A lonely hag drank at one of the high stools that were lining the wall. A group of stunning women, who Hermione was sure were part Veelas, were glowing in the center of the room. She could see the male population’s eyes lingering for a long time on them before they came to their senses. A vampire was edging towards the group with a hungry look on his face. 

“You look sobered up!” Theo complained, after he resurfaced from kissing his female friend, looking at Hermione in disappointment. 

“We got some food on the way.” Hermione smirked. 

“We can’t have that can we?” Theo said, shaking his head. 

“Theo!” Draco said reproachfully.

Theo ignored him. Looking at Hermione he said, “You are not backing down, are you?”

“Nope.” 

“Good.” Theo said, and gestured towards the menu in front of her. 

“I thought we are here for the potion mistress. Aren’t we supposed to drink what she makes us?” Hermione asked skeptically. 

“We are going to get her consultation when she sees it suitable. Until then, we can enjoy ourselves, can’t we? You can research your way into the potions that she offers. That way you won’t be surprised when I request something risqué for you.” he said, nudging the book further towards Hermione. He ordered alcohol for them all by speaking into another menu. 

Hermione decided to peek through the menu booklet after all. It boasted about serving a potion for all of anyone’s needs. She scoffed internally at the impossibility of such a claim fulfilment, and opened the artsy booklet. It really was a long read, with at least fifty pages. The font was admittedly large but there were at least twenty potions on the left side pages with artwork on the right. It was very tastefully made. Though it was a temporary menu, only active till the time the potion mistress was with them, they had not spared any expenses in making it. They had marked some of the potions that were going to be added to their menu permanently. 

Five pages were dedicated only for ‘mood’. It contained a range of moods from lazy, composed, contemplative to enthusiastic, happy, ecstatic. On the basis of what mood one chose, a potion was freshly brewed. It even gave details about what percentage of alcohol the potion would contain. Depending on the percentage of a certain mood one wants, the potions were customisable. There was also an option of mixing moods. One could be lazy and ecstatic or one could choose to be happy and contemplative or even sad and composed.

“Why would anyone choose to be sad?” She asked the group. 

Everyone shrugged, but Draco answered her question, “If you are extremely sad already, then you can choose to be less sad. Going from extreme sadness to happy by potioning oneself and then going back to it after the effect ended can be traumatic for the psych. It’s better to ease yourself into happiness by controlling the sadness first.” 

Hermione thought over what he said. It made complete sense. The Muggle drugs were addictive and harmful for precisely the reason that they left the user feeling worse after the use. ‘The potions still should be taken with caution’, Hermione thought. The wizarding folk were very resistant to adverse reactions of potions and addiction, unlike muggles. Otherwise they would not be left to brew their potions on their own. The Ministry did not regulate potion abuse very strictly for the same reason. 

She further read about the ingredients used for the potions, they were all the ingredients that were regularly used in potion making. There wasn’t a single illegal item. She was impressed. Their drinks appeared in front of them and Hermione started sipping on it absentmindedly, still studying the menu with great interest. 

After ‘Mood’ there were a few pages dedicated to experiences. They were divided into individual, couple or group experiences. Individual experiences were very similar to day-dreams that Weasleys Wizarding wheezes offered. There were more adult experiences here. The establishment provided private chambers for more adult activities to enjoy the said experience. The couple and group experiences had an option of taking it home. Individual experiences were innocent enough like flying on broom or on different creatures like dragons, swimming underwater with creatures to dangerous ones like being chased by a chimera. 

Sexual fantasies with very detailed information were on the menu too. Even reading them made Hermione blush scarlet. Draco had put his hand behind her on a cushion and was reading the menu above her shoulder. 

She looked at him and his eyes had an amused look on his face as he stared at the book. He was sitting very close to her. She pointed out certain experiences to him. They were impressed by some, like flying around the solar system and visiting the Bermuda Triangle. 

There was a whole list of animals, both magical and muggle, one could experience being those animals for a given time. There were animals like giraffes and kelpies there. Draco pointed out that a person can experience being a Flobberworm and they laughed at the ridiculous thought. Flobberworms were the most boring magical creatures.

Their eyes met when they started laughing, and they kept looking as the laugh faded into a smile and then their expressions simultaneously turned intent. 

Hermione felt engulfed by Draco. His larger body was leaning on her and she could feel and see nothing but him. She had long forgotten that they were there with other people. They had retreated to the familiar friendly place, which only had space for the two of them. Tonight, however, the place had something more than friendship there. Something much more desirable. 

“Hola!” A woman’s melodious voice made them jump apart. Hermione hastily leaned away from Draco. A small woman with golden skin and small but sparkly expressive eyes smiled down at them. She was wearing bright blue robes with large embroidered flowers on them. Her straight black hair was loose and fell till her hips. 

“Vale!” She said, clasping her hands. “Madam Cocom is inviting you all for the meeting.” She smiled at them and walked off. She walked into the wall between their booth and the booth beside theirs and disappeared. 

After looking carefully, Hermione could identify magical ripples on the section of the wall, a concealed entrance for the inner chamber. They got up to follow the woman. Once they entered through the enchanted wall, they were hit with a strong smell of various potions. It was- intoxicating. Hermione breathed in heavily and felt a little more woozy. She looked up and smiled at Draco, his eyes were wide as he stared back, pupils dilated and nostrils flared. His usual smirk was gone. She could tell he was trying to occlude whatever he was feeling. It was his knee-jerk reaction to every outside stimulus.

Madam Cocom was sitting at a large round table and gestured for them to sit around her. She was one of those women whose age was very hard to guess. She was wearing a traditional floral headband. The red lilies matched her bright red robes. The first thing Hermione noticed about her was her very keen little black eyes. They had a different sort of intelligence in them. They reminded Hermione of the soul-piercing gaze of Dumbledore’s blue eyes. 

She looked from the two couples to Hermione and Draco who were sitting directly opposite to her. She stared very intently for a moment at Draco and her gaze fell on Hermione. Her mouth quirked into a lopsided smile and she broke eye contact. 

She started with Blaise and Ella. Zabini introduced himself and Ella, but before he could utter another word, Madam Cocom raised a hand to stop him and looked between them for only a moment before saying, “Let me guess, you want the One Night Stand with all precautions and with heightened senses?”

Zabini nodded. “Yes”

Madam just flicked her hand and her assistant nodded to her and grabbed two vials from the nearby table. She measured and added some of the already simmering potions to the vial and handed them to Zabini. Ella got up and pulled her date up with her. She waved her hand to Jeanne and, with Zabini wrapped around her, she made her way to the main bar. Zabini hastily said his farewell to them before leaving. 

Madam Cocom turned to Theo and Jeanne. “I think a potion with “more of a girlfriend experience” to you both? Try it out before getting into the real thing?” Theo nodded at her. He opened his mouth and hesitated. 

“Please Mister Nott. You can ask me anything you want.” Madam Cocom said with a smile. 

“Could we have gender swap added to it?” Theo said. Jeanne nodded enthusiastically and squeezed Theo’s hand. Hermione really looked at the girl this time and she noticed that she was looking at Theo in an absolutely adorable way. Who would have guessed that the seemingly Casanova heir of the Nott house and the very feminine Jeanne would have a gender swap kink. Hermione resolved to be more open-minded and less judgmental in the future. Maybe Theodore had been right. She needed to be a more accepting person. 

Unlike Blaise and Ella, Theo and Jeanne were not in a hurry. Theo’s eyes twinkled with mischief again as Madam Cocom turned towards Hermione and Draco. He literally rubbed his hands in anticipation and Hermione rolled her eyes. “Ready for the dare, Granger?” Hermione nodded trying to summon her Gryffindor courage. 

He turned towards the Potions Mistress and said, “Madam Cocom, I know you are an expert in relationships. I know you sense some things about people. What do you think about these two? Please give them a couples potion with any experience or mood you think will make them open their eyes.” 

“Open our eyes for what?” Hermione frowned. 

“Theo!” Draco said in a strained voice at the same time. 

She turned towards Madam Cocom who was looking intently between Draco and her. 

Hermione looked at Draco and his guarded eyes were fixed on her face. Hermione was startled to see that he was looking at her in the same way that Jeanne was looking at Theo. His eyes were beautiful when they were that intense. She thought she would be able to see all the way into his heart if she kept looking in them. It was electric. She felt alive, like a live-wire. She asked herself why in Morgana’s sake had she never lost herself in his eyes before. Why was she unable to look away? 

Her practical mind concluded that it probably was because of the potions bubbling around them. She had seen the steam with the mother of Pearl sheen rising in characteristic spirals from one of the cauldrons. Yes, Amortentia fragrance mixed with other magical potions, that was probably why she was unable to tear her eyes from Draco’s face, why she was drowning in his cologne scent. 

She didn’t know how long they kept looking at each other but the spell was broken when Theo cleared his throat loudly. Hermione finally looked at him, eyes unfocused, she saw him smiling mischievously. She didn’t like how smug his smile was. She saw Draco shake his head from the corner of her eyes. She didn’t dare glance at him again. She was going to hex Theo when this was over, she resolved.

“There’s no need to look so embarrassed, Miss Granger. I know it’s hard for you to lose control over your thoughts, but this might help you do that.” Madam Cocom said. 

She got up and mixed a few potions herself. She tapped the stoppered vial with her wand and pushed two large vials of pink coloured potions towards her. “It’s a potion which will give you the courage that you need to lose that control and see what you truly desire. It has been enchanted with an Experience charm too. The experience will be linked to your deepest desire and you will only experience what you want. Mister Draco here, has similar problems as you. So the potion is the same for him too. It is a Couples potion so you can take it together.”

“But he has a girlfriend.” Hermione protested. 

“If you call having a betrothal contract as having a girlfriend.” He scoffed. 

“That’s worse. You are engaged.” Hermione’s eyes started to prick. She controlled herself. 

“I don’t believe that I am.” He said resignedly looking at the table. He glanced at her, “You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.” 

“It’s not that I don’t want to...” Hermione said, in a small voice. 

“Oh please! Just get on with it. We can clearly see that you both want to. What’s the harm in trying it out? If it doesn’t work then you just get it out of your system at the end of it and you can move on.” Theo said impatiently

“I don’t want to ruin our friendship.” She told Draco. 

Madam Cocom summoned two small vials of green coloured potion. “This is a memory potion. You can choose to take it. You will not have any memory of the weekend come Monday morning. If you decide to wipe your memories, take the other potion and things will be as they were tonight. You will not remember coming to this bar.”

Hermione stared at the potions for a long time. She wanted to do it, desperately. She tried to control her longing. She rounded on Theo. “This is your dare? To make me and Draco have... what?” She asked. 

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. It’s not a love potion.”, Madam Cocom said. 

“It’s not?” She was surprised. 

“I assure you it’s not. As I said before, it will just make you understand what you truly want and give you the courage to act on it.” 

She turned to Draco. “Do you want to do it?” She felt shy asking him the question. 

Draco looked in her eyes for a long time. “Only if you want to.” Hermione swallowed. 

“It’s decided.” Theo clapped his hands in his enthusiasm. He shoved each set of potions in their hands and got up from the table. Hermione got up dazedly. Theo ushered them out to the bar section. 

Their table was still waiting for them when they came out. Nobody spoke for a long time. Hermione and Draco who usually had a lot to talk about, were sitting awkwardly looking everywhere but at each other. Theo and Jeanne resurfaced from another snogging session and he scoffed at them. 

“Granger, so are you backing down?” Theo taunted. “I thought you said you were open minded. What’s the big deal? She said you will only get what you want.” 

Hermione sighed. She was cursing the time that she agreed to do this. “Yes Theodore... You are right. I am not backing down.” 

“Well, I am going to need some proof.” Theo said pointing at the potion bottles sitting on the table. 

“Don’t push it, Theo,” Draco warned him. 

She grabbed the pink potion. Opening the cork, she took a small sniff at first. It smelt sinful. She felt the excitement she often felt when encountering a new book, the feel of adrenaline coursing through her body when doing something brave and stupid, and she felt the strong desire to do something naughty. Feeling everything at the same time, it was intoxicating and disorienting. She glanced at Theo’s taunting face. Jeanne besides him was giving her an encouraging look. She looked at Draco and all the above feelings intensified exponentially. She was going to lose her nerve if she thought about it anymore. 

She touched her bottle to the bottle of the potion sitting in front of Draco and drained it. When she put it down she was looking into the stunned faces of all three of her companions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the chapter.
> 
> Kudos and comments are love. 
> 
> Avendell is one of my most favorite artists. Her depiction of Dramione is especially close to how I imagine them. I cannot thank her enough for creating this art for the story.  
> Check out Avendell's other art on [Avendell Tumblr](https://avendell.tumblr.com/)
> 
> If you wish to, follow me on [Tumblr](http://vginny1.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Thank you to all who read, left kudos and left comments.
> 
> Love,
> 
> VGinny


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> Many thanks to my beta Kiwi05622. She was amazing enough to beta the chapter again. 
> 
> The chapter is full of Smut. Enjoy!

**Chapter Four**

Nothing happened. She just looked at everyone’s bewildered face and a bubble of laughter tore through her mouth. Hermione found Theo’s eyes and confidently said, “Didn't think I would do it, did you?” she smirked at him, “and there you have it, don’t you dare call me chicken. _Ever_ ,” her speech was mostly clear. 

Hermione initially thought she would feel different as the effects of the potion took place, but to her astonishment, she felt the same. She didn't feel any undesirable effects of the potion she had just taken, on the contrary, her head had felt clear like waking up after a good night's sleep. “I don’t feel differently,” she concluded, and looked back at Draco. 

“I think I'll also need to take the potion to activate the Experience charm,” Draco stated at Hermione's wary look. 

While looking at him frowning, she thought she would feel something, but she didn’t. While the strong connection of their friendship was ever present, there was no sudden desire to kiss him or rip his shirt apart. 

“You have to take the potion too, Draco, otherwise her dare will not be completed,” Theo smirked. 

“Theo, that's enough. She proved her bravery. There’s no need to push her to do anything she doesn’t want to,” Draco gritted his teeth. 

Hermione suddenly felt heavy that Draco didn't want to experience anything with her. She was going to curse Theo. She tried to use her Occlumency to shield her overwhelming sadness, but it did not work. Rather, the feeling of sadness intensified. 

“Does it look like Hermione is doing anything she doesn't want to?” Theo lifted his brow back at Draco, waving a hand comically at Hermione.

Draco turned to look at her, but she quickly looked down at her hands to avoid him, and blinked back the sudden tears that were gathering in her eyes. 

“Hermione...” Draco’s voice was softer than she had ever heard it,. “do you want me to take the potion?” 

The gentleness in his tone brought Hermione's face and eyes back to meet his grey eyes.

“Only if you want to,” she whispered his previous words. 

Slowly, without ever leaving her gaze, he reached for his potion and gulped it down. They were still looking at each other when everything hit at once. 

It was like her brain got its memory drive replaced with another one, as if she had suddenly realised the alternate reality that she had forgotten till that moment. She still recalled the other reality, but it was faint and it was getting fainter with every second that ticked by.

Their story was quite different in this reality. They had slowly started liking each other in their year as the Heads at Hogwarts. Hermione had realised her feelings towards Draco when they parted at King’s Cross, subsequently breaking up with Ron a few short weeks after. Draco had confessed his feelings to her after a few months, and asked her out soon after when she delightfully said yes to him. They had been together for two years and she had moved in with him at his townhouse the year before. 

They had both met each other's parents. Hermione and Narcissa were becoming closer than she ever expected to with the Malfoy Matriarch. Lucius was still getting used to having her in his son’s life, but she hoped that he would eventually warm up to her. Draco’s relationship with her parents was much easier. 

It only took a second for them to comprehend all this. To an onlooker, nothing had changed. But for the two of them, their whole world had shifted. 

Hermione saw it in Draco’s eyes when his gaze changed, his pupils were fully dilated before coming back to their normal size. The warmth in them exponentially intensified. She returned that adoring stare. She was utterly in love with him. She told him this a hundred times in this new reality. 

He made the first move by lifting the hand that was seated on the table to gently cup her cheek and bring the other to rest on the back of her neck. He stroked his thumb across her cheek and she leaned into his large warm palm for a moment before putting her smaller hand on his. His other hand slowly slithering to the base of her skull and tangling his fingers through her hair. He pulled her towards him making Hermione whimper as his lips touched hers. The kiss was soft and tender, it was just like Draco to be careful and respectful of the surrounding people. 

But at that moment, she didn't want soft and tender, she wanted hard and passionate. She put her hand on his collar and pulled him down to her level. She nibbled on his lower lip and he rewarded her with a groan and parted his lips for her. He tasted sweet and salty with a hint of chocolate. He suddenly pulled her closer and she straddled him and tangled her fingers through soft blonde hair. He slipped his tongue and caught her moans with his mouth. She did not know for how long they were in that position and she didn't care until the sound of someone clearing their throats interrupted her thoughts. 

She had momentarily forgotten where they were. When she pulled away from Draco’s mouth he was smirking at her display of hunger for him, his eyes half lidded and lustful. She sat back on her seat, shuffling to rearrange her dress.

Draco put an arm around her to bring her closer to him as she looked smugly at Theo. Some distant memory tried to resurface in her brain about some dare and a Madam with a red headdress. Her brain immediately pulled it down. They had come on a double date with Theo and Jeanne, of course. 

She smiled shyly at the couple. 

“All this PDA, I am surprised, Granger. You two lovebirds are having a hard time keeping your hands off of each other,” Theo taunted while Jeanne smiled at her next to him. 

Hermione felt herself flush from embarrassment. When had she become the one to be scolded for PDA? Draco leaned in to kiss her forehead while his hand was rubbing soothing circles on her shoulder that sent shivers shooting down her spine every few seconds. 

She looked up at him and his eyes were hooded as he stared at her. She bit her lip at the predatory and possessive look adoring his silver eyes. 

She gulped. 

“Shall we head back home?” Draco whispered in her ears in a huskily. 

“Yes. Now.,” she made the urgency in her voice known to him and was rewarded by a chuckle from him. 

“Later, Theo. It was nice meeting you Jeanne,” she nodded towards the other couple and stood to leave.

“Same here, Hermione. I hope to meet you soon,” Jeanne smiled. 

“Yes. We should do this again soon,” Hermione replied. 

For some reason Theo had a smug smile on his face that made Hermione feel uneasy . 

“Yes,” Theo insisted. “Soon,” he winked. 

With Draco’s arms around her shoulder they made their way out of the bar and into the street. Once they rounded the corner to an enchanted Apparation point, Draco took both her hands, entwining their fingers and pinning her hard to the empty wall. He kissed her deeply and stole the breath making her feel light headed. 

While continuing to assault her mouth, he wrapped his arms tightly around her and apparated them to his townhouse. _Their_ townhouse. They landed steadily directly into the living room. She was securely held in Draco’s embrace barely feeling the after effects of the apparition. 

He took her hand and proceeded to guide her towards the sofa and sat her down. Her cardigan and her hair-band discarded on the floor before Draco laid her on the long plush sofa.

They were desperate. 

Every sense in Hermione’s body and brain were overwhelmed by Draco’s touches. He was everywhere. In her thoughts and around her. His hands began exploring her body. She was hungry to touch him too. She vanished his shirt wandlessly, pausing their kiss to examine his hard and lithe body. He was hard to look at without blushing. His body was lean and toned, his muscles hard. She ran her hand slowly down his stomach towards his trousers when she noticed his eyelids flutter and he groaned. 

He made her sit up and turned her around to slowly drag the zipper on her dress down. He took his time in discarding her dress. He simultaneously kissed her exposed skin from one shoulder to the other. She moaned softly at his touch sending another shiver down her body. He kept peppering soft kisses on her back, slowly making his way down until he reached her lower back. He pushed the shoulder straps down and the dress pooled around her hips. He helped her out of it and she leaned back on him to push the dress away to to join the other items on the floor. 

He flipped her and laid her back on the couch. He took her in, roving his eyes hungrily up and down her body making her squirm. She was in only her black lace bra and knickers. Her heels were still on. He moved closer to her and traced his lips from her stomach to her legs agonisingly slowly. She was trembling by the time he reached the shoe of her left foot. He removed the shoe and kissed her toes. He kissed his way towards her inner thigh and then her core. 

Her anticipation was making her tremble and her breathing was coming out heavy, he was very aware that her knickers at this point were completely ruined. “Draco, please,” she begged but he didn't touch her sex, he was teasing her she grew frustrated, she wanted to release some of the pressure that had been building up. When he reached the edge of her knickers, she felt his hot breath over her slit but he shifted to the other thigh and made his way down towards the other foot. His eyes never left hers the entire time. Taking in her reactions, he was noting every sound and every breath coming from her mouth. 

Every emotion, every touch and every desire was too much but it felt manageable with him. 

Something shifted in his eyes and he was suddenly on top of her and covered every inch of her body underneath him. He kissed her as if his life depended on it. He left her lips only to pepper tender kisses down her jaw and towards her pulse point. He stopped the kisses and just held her tightly to him, burying his face below her neck. She secured her arms around his shoulders, holding Draco close to her heart.

They just held each other for a long time. She thought he had fallen asleep but then he shifted and looked up at her and she was glad to see that the predatory look was back on his face. She pushed him to his knees and reached for his belt. Her hands were shaking as she unbuckled him. She undid his button and zipper then dragged his pants down helping him remove them completely. She couldn’t stop staring at the v-shaped muscles of his stomach disappearing in his tight briefs. 

She looked up at his face and found him smirking back at her. She felt herself flush from head to toe. His taunting smile gave her courage. Her hands stopped shaking. She touched the large bulge with her fingers as lightly as she could. It was her turn to smile smugly as he bucked his hips. She did it a few more times and he was moaning her name as his bulge visibly grew. Her fingers trailed his waistband and she slowly put her hand in to wrap her small fingers around him. She gave him a small pump before she pulled it out of his briefs. The sudden freedom surprised him and Draco gasped in pleasure. 

She kept looking at him in wonder. He was large. She swallowed. She tentatively ran a finger along its length and teased the sensitive tip. He bucked again. He gasped and held her hand to stop her administrations. When she tried to touch him with her other hand, he held both of her small ones in one of his and pushed her back to lay on the couch. 

Pinning both her hands above her head, he took advantage of her arched back and unhooked her bra with his free hand. It went above her head and was sprung somewhere far. She suddenly felt conscious of her naked body. She tried to free her hands to hide herself but Draco stopped her squirming by holding her gaze. 

“You are perfect!” he said reverently. She steadied at hearing his sincerity. He squeezed and played with her breasts one by one and she started getting ridiculously aroused. He dipped his head and licked one nipple gently before circling the tip of his tongue around it a few times before taking it all into his mouth, giving it a hard suck. She gasped and a whimper escaped her lips arching her back further to give him more access. He slowly let go of her hands and she entangled her fingers in his soft hair. 

He reached between them and with a finger he gave a gentle stroke to her core above her knickers. Her trembling started again but it was not nervous trembling anymore. She was vibrating with anticipation. He stroked her a few times before slowly removing her black knickers. It was pure torture for Hermione. His slowness was killing her. She wanted to scream at him in frustration. He tickled and licked and kissed the skin he exposed. Slowly and steadily he exposed her fully. 

“You are perfect.” He repeated before licking her clit gently. She was going to explode if he kept doing that. He licked gently, teasing, before his tongue and his mouth became more demanding. He licked, kissed and sucked on her clit. She was gasping and moaning, and gibberish was coming out of her mouth as he continued to give her the full attention of his mouth.

And then he sucked her bud and put two fingers in her at the same time curling it to stroke that sweet spot inside. She felt her orgasm building up fast and before she knew it, white flashes crossed her eyes and she exploded. She screamed his name when she came. 

He did not let her relax. Before coming down from her orgasm he had pushed himself in her. Because of his expert administrations she took him fully. The pain was manageable. He began to move slowly and steady at first. The mild pain that she felt at first was slowly tapering off, replaced by a pleasant pressure. By the time he was pumping in her at speed, she had opened her legs widely. She was gasping with every push. Her arousal was steadily rising, the pressure building up again. She knew she was close. She knew he was too from his ragged breaths. 

He bent down and licked one of her breasts and she orgasmed again. He came right after her. He was breathing heavily on her chest as he lay there, still inside of her. Slowly he removed himself and she felt the trickle of their combined fluids on her thighs. They stayed there for a long time. 

Draco kissed her forehead when he resurfaced and lifted her to take her to their bedroom, her body feeling limp and spent from their lovemaking. He went down the hallway besides the kitchen and reached a door at the end of it. He put her on their bed and sank beside her. He spooned her and she felt engulfed again. His gentle weight was welcomed, making her feel safe and loved. 

The morning sun rays hit her face first. She felt glorious. Draco was still tightly wrapped around her and she smiled indulgently in her pillow. She was content, to say the least. As she stretched, she felt him stir behind her and she turned her neck to look at him and saw him smiling sleepily at her. His disheveled hair suited him. He looked like he could sleep for another hour or so. She gave him a small kiss at the corner of his mouth and turned her head again and decided to have a lay in since it was a weekend. 

However, those plans did not work out.. His fingers wandered over her bare back for some time and then reached around her and to caress her breasts. It was the same as last night. Everything was excessive yet still not enough when she was with him. 

He laid her on her back and leaned over her. He traced his long fingers on her whole naked body, taking his time again. When she finally begged him to take her, he took her slowly. She screamed his name again and he came shortly afterwards. 

They left the bed reluctantly to clean up and make breakfast. Hermione’s addled brain saw things that were not there. There was a magical photo from their one-year anniversary sitting on her side of the bedside table. Draco was hugging her from behind and they were kissing and smiling at the camera. 

Her brain did not ask why her clothes were not in the closet after she stepped out of the shower to find something to wear. She rummaged around his closet and decided to wear Draco’s Slytherin jersey that reached her knees. 

Heading to the kitchen, she saw Draco had started with breakfast. When he looked up at her, his eyes roved up and down her body assessing her attire. 

“Thought you would like me wearing this,” Hermione said as she sat beside him. 

“Want me to tell you how much I like it?” Draco asked while reaching out and tracing a finger along the side of her exposed thigh. 

Hermione pulled a plate towards her and batted his fingers away. “How can you still think about sex?”

“You don’t know what you do to me, Granger,” he came closer to place a gentle kiss on the side of her neck. 

Hermione blushed. Her stomach rumbled loudly at that moment. “I am starving. Maybe later.”

“Later,” Draco promised. They were both very hungry. They ate their eggs and toast in comfortable silence. 

Prompted by the potion, they decided to roam the Muggle world. In their memories, they had spent many Sundays the same way. Hermione transfigured the jersey into a dress. It was still green and had his name and number on the back. Her black heels were tranfigured into white sneakers.

They watched a movie and dined at their favourite restaurant for lunch. They spent the evening window shopping and he had an opinion about everything, he was one of those overindulgent spouses who took interest in everything to do with their partner. He insisted on buying her jewelry. She tried to protest but he still got her an expensive diamond pendant with matching earrings. 

Feeling tired after a long day out, they decided to head back home. Draco cooked dinner and Hermione helped him a little. She mostly ogled at him as he moved about the kitchen with his shirt sleeves rolled up his elbows and a few top buttons open. He looked sexy when he cooked.

After he put the chicken in the oven and set a timer, he walked towards Hermione. She was sitting on the kitchen island with her feet dangling. 

He pushed her legs apart to stand between them. Her dress bunched up around her hips. 

He wrapped his arms around her. “What were you looking at?” 

“Nothing. Just watching you cook,” Hermione replied innocently. 

“Liked what you see?” he surveyed her face mockingly.

“Very”

She slid her hand down his bare chest, kissing the exposed skin. Removing his shirt buttons one by one, she explored him with her fingers. She boldly reached for his trousers and they soon fell to the floor to join his shirt. She slowly pushed his briefs down. He was hard and ready. She pumped him a few times. He was gasping and groaning in rhythm. 

He suddenly stopped her hands and pulled her down the island. He flipped her over, propped her against the island and bent her over. Hermione felt him slide the dress up and gasped as he yanked her knickers off. He slid his thumb on her clit and circled it a few times. He whispered towards her ears, “my Granger, you're awfully wet, all this for me?”

She couldn't find her words and all she could do was nod back at him. She was ready for him. He angled her and pushed himself slowly into her.

“I love my name on you”, he said, increasing the tempo. She was moaning and gasping as he pushed in further. The angle made it a little painful but he was slow enough that she was able to bear it. 

She begged him to go faster as the initial pain subsided. He brought one of his hands around her waist and down on her clit giving it a few rubs. He increased the pressure on her clit and before she knew it, she saw white behind her closed lids. He rode her through her orgasm and then through his own. 

They realised belatedly that Draco’s wand was buzzing with the alarm for the chicken, they had not heard it over the noises they were making which resulted in the chicken coming out slightly burnt. Hermione flushed. Draco was still inside her and was kissing her neck as he waved his wand and levitated the food from the oven. 

  
  
  


Hermione set up the dining table and he conjured fresh flowers and candles. They had a blissful, cosy dinner. They both felt inexplicable longing and sadness, the feeling of a holiday coming to an end, but they said nothing about it. They cleared the table and helped each other clean before turning in for an early night. 

When she lay down beside him he casually said, “marry me?” 

She was startled by his question and looked toward his face and found his eyes were anything but casual. 

“Yes,” she whispered, and she wholeheartedly meant it, she felt content with her decision. 

Lying in bed face to face and with their legs tangled; they spoke for hours about their future in that reality. They wanted similar things. 

“I would love a large family,” Draco said. “It’s lonely to be a single child.” 

“I agree. I have always wanted a sibling. So at least two kids for me,” She agreed while brushing his hair off his face. 

“Three,” he prompted. 

“We’ll see,” she smiled back at him 

“I always thought it was fascinating that you were named after a constellation. I want to continue with that tradition,” Hermione said thoughtfully. 

“I agree. It’s the only pureblood tradition that I want my kids to inherit,” Draco told her. 

“I hope the girls have your eyes,” Draco said after a few minutes of silence leaning to kiss her eyelids. 

“I hope they have yours,” Hermione said, touching his cheek. 

They discussed their dream house and their ambitions. Draco teased her that now that she was to marry him, then some day he was going to be the husband of the Minister of Magic. She was glad to know that he thought very highly of her as a person and as a career woman. 

She could feel that he was her ground. Something to fall back to if and when everything else in life was to become unpredictable and chaotic. He would calm her, support her and he would not hesitate to point out her mistakes and gently nudge her in the right direction when her swotty overworked brain would fail to realise the obvious.

She felt a warm sting behind her eyes. She hugged him and let herself cry in his arms. He was surprised to say the least. He crushed her to his chest and stroked her hair. He let her cry it out. When she calmed a little he wiped the tears from her eyes. 

“Hey! What’s wrong, Hermione?” Draco’s tone was softer than she had ever heard. He was worried enough to call her by her given name. 

“Nothing. I don’t know why I am crying. I am so happy right now. Believe me.” She sobbed. 

He gave her a nervous laugh and pulled her to him again. He kept patting her head. She had buried her face in his chest. She felt groggy. Just before she went under, she said, “I love you, Draco.”

“I love you too, Granger.” He said. 

He always put more emphasis on the “Gra” part when he said her name. She loved it. She smiled indulgently and was still smiling as she fell into a blissful slumber. 

  
  
  


The morning drew and the sun-rays woke her up again. She was facing the window and Draco’s hand was loosely draped around her middle. She leaned into his warmth with a smile on her face. 

However, the events of this weekend crashed down on her like a bucket of ice water and her smile slipped off her face just as quickly as it appeared. It felt like she was awakened from a pleasant but vivid dream. A dream that she never wanted to wake up from. 

She glanced at her bedside table remembering that a photo stood there, but Hermione was disappointed to find nothing on it. Her brain was still processing the two realities. Slowly, she started remembering everything that had happened. 

From the moment she tipped back the potion, to the beautiful love-making she shared with Draco, their wonderful day together and before they went into a blissful sleep in each other's arms, she desperately wanted it to be true. She wanted it all. 

She carefully turned as to not wake up the handsome man that laid next to her. One of her closest friends, and now… she didn’t know what he was to her anymore. He looked young when he slept. She stared at him for longer than she wanted to admit. 

Her brain was overworking. _Will he want the same when he wakes up? Or will he freak out? Was it just weekend shagging for him? He clearly will not be as desperate as I am feeling... I am going to wake him and ask him what he thinks, what all this meant... No!! What if he feels ashamed and rejects me? I should give him some time to think..._

Her gaze fell upon the photos on his side of the bed. There was one with him and his parents and there was another with all his friends. Though it was a group photo, she could not take her eyes off of Draco’s arm wrapped around Astoria’s shoulder. 

Then, realisation struck her like a bolt of lightning. He was betrothed to Astoria Greengrass! 

_What have they done?_ Did she aid him in cheating on his fiancé? She felt shame wash over her.

A small part of her brain tried to reason with her. He had said the other night that he did not believe in the betrothal. He had made it sound like it was just a contract for him. 

His belief did not negate the reality. She was aware how a Pureblood betrothal contract was not easy to be broken. She sat up and put her head in her hands in shame. 

Before all her emotions left her body, her eyes snapped as she remembered the memory charm potion. She looked around for it and two bottles of the green potion were sitting on his dressing table. She climbed out of the bed quietly and grabbed one of the bottles. She hurried out of his bedroom to gather all her belongings that were still scattered all over the living room. 

She noticed a small stain on his otherwise impeccable sofa and felt herself flush at the memory of their passionate session. With a quick _Scourgify_ , the sofa looked as good as new. She looked around. It was as if nothing had happened. 

Her eyes fell on the coffee table near the sofa. The small shopping bag on it had the jewelry that he had bought her. He should give it to his fiancé. It did not belong to her. 

She had to fix it all. Once they both took the potion it would really be as if nothing had happened at all. 

She wrote a note and stuck it on the jewelry bag. 

_‘You should give this to the person who you belong to. The only thing I want is the memory potion.’_

Controlling the urge to take one last look at Draco, she apparated out of his house. 

She landed in her living room and couldn't hold her emotions together. Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor. The pain of losing everything that she desperately wanted was excruciating. Why did she agree to this? No one had warned her it would be this intense, this _real_. 

She cursed Theo and the Potion Mistress but she knew it was futile. Her deepest desires were just brought to the surface because of the potion. She had always wanted it all, she was just realising it now, she was in love with Draco Malfoy.

Her mind kept repeating every blissful moment spent in Draco’s presence. In that alternate reality, they had a wonderful life together. Now that she knew what she was missing, she desperately wanted it. 

She was not even sure of his feelings. He was engaged to someone else. She was pining after Fool’s hope. She wiped her tears and pulled the memory-potion out of her satchel. Just one gulp and all the pain will be gone. She will be happy again. She will not remember the _what if_. 

She opened the lid. If she did it, the memory of the weekend will be lost forever. The two blissful days that she spent with Draco will be gone but she will not be miserable anymore. She should do it. 

She put the bottle to her mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiii! 
> 
> Hope you are liking the story so far. Sorry for another cliffhanger. I have to hold your interest for another chapter. 😉
> 
> Some of you might be wondering why there is a 'One Night Stand' potion when they can just have a one-night-stand... I did not want to explain this at the end of the previous chapter as I did not want to spoil what our D and Hr were going to experience in this chapter... The potion is for couples who want to re-experience the thrill of first-time sex with their partner without cheating. In my mind their memories will be wiped of previous sexual encounters so they can do that again. I imagine old married couples will be using it to rekindle their romance. Blaise and Ella are doing it just to get the thrill and with added heightened experience their night will be more magical than their actual first time. :D
> 
> Kudos and comments are much much appreciated. 
> 
> Follow me on [Tumblr](http://vginny1.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Love,  
> VGinny


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the last chapter of the story.
> 
> Many many thanks to my Beta Kiwi05622.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Chapter 5**

  
  


She flung the bottle across the room and watched as it shattered to a million pieces on the wall. The green of the potion stained her beige wall. 

No, the time they spent together was too precious. She would not lose it. She was going to let him think she took the potion. She was going to hide everything when they would meet the next time. 

She groaned in frustration. How was she going to keep anything from him. She always ended up telling him everything. He was going to wipe his memory and be completely oblivious and she was going to make a fool of herself every time she looked at him. How was she going to hide her feelings towards him? 

Her eyes fell on the letter which was still sitting on her door-side platform. 

  
  


—————————

  
  
  


A week passed since she had been at Malfoy’s house. She had not contacted him, nor did he. But she couldn't blame him. He probably didn’t remember anything about their weekend together. Nobody had seen him or met him as far as she knew. He seemed to have disappeared. Hermione did not know what to make of it. 

She was trying not to think about him. Using all her willpower, she strengthened her occlumency walls around the memory of the whole weekend. Afraid of losing any second of it but trying not to think about it at the same time, she was walking on a thin cord. 

She had contacted the American Law-firm and let them know that she was more than happy to accept their offer. While on a floo call, their official correspondence had asked when she would like to join and she couldn't help but blurt out a quick “This Monday.” 

Here she was now. It was nine-thirty on a Sunday morning and she was all packed up and ready for her new endeavor. She had sent most of her heavy possessions to her firm, they were providing her with a flat and were taking care of her moving. She had wound everything up in the last week. She looked around the now empty flat as she nibbled on some toast, her home of three years. 

Her Portkey was scheduled at eleven-thirty from the Ministry. She was going to reach an hour early. She was not only leaving the city but she was leaving the country, the continent. She tried not to panic. She had to put on a brave face for her parents as well as her friends. She was expecting them in half an hour. 

There was a gentle knock on the door and she frowned at the unexpected guest. They were early. Putting her toast down, she opened the door to find Ginny holding a large box. 

“I know I am early,” she said. “But I wanted to give you this so you can add it to your luggage.” She put the box on the floor and tapped it with her wand. A lumpy looking gift-wrapped package floated from it towards Hermione. Hermione caught it. 

“Open it,” Ginny insisted. 

It was a patchwork quilt. It was absolutely gorgeous. The base colour was deep red to represent Gryffindor and the House logo was in the centre, but with a modification. 

Instead of a lion there was a lioness and instead of plain ‘Gryffindor’ it said ‘our own Gryffindor lioness’. It was so cheesy, but she loved it. 

Moving photos surrounded the logo. They were precious memories from their first year to the last day of her training program. The moving photos reminded her again of what she was leaving behind. 

“It’s so beautiful, Ginny,” Hermione said, eyes watered. She looked at each photo and sobbed. 

She lingered for a long time on the last photo. It was of her and her batchmates, taken in the Ministry after their Law exam was complete. She was standing between Draco and Theo with both their arms around her. She looked tiny between the tall boys. 

“Where did you get this photo?” Hermione asked. She touched it delicately. 

“From Hannah,” Ginny said. 

Of course, she didn’t know why she expected Draco to have anything to do with it. 

Something must have shown on her face because Ginny looked at her questioningly. “Hermione, are you okay? Is there something you want to talk about?” Ginny asked. 

Hermione shook her head, a little more vigorously than she normally would have. “No, Ginny. I am fine. Everything is fine. Just emotional to leave you all.” 

“I still don’t understand why you are going.” 

“It’s a great opportunity, Gin. Besides I will have so much more ex- ”

“Yes yes. We have heard these reasons before,” Ginny said impatiently. “Is... please tell me you are not leaving because of my stupid brother.” 

“No no. Gin, he hasn’t got anything to do with it.” Hermione did not have to fake the honesty for this particular question.

Ginny looked relieved. She changed the subject. “So who else is coming?” 

“Your fiancé and my parents.” 

“And Malfoy? Didn’t you invite him?” 

Hermione tried very hard to keep her face straight. “No. He couldn’t come. He had some other commitment,” Hermione lied. 

“More important than seeing you off to another country?” Ginny’s eyebrows touched the roof. 

Hermione shrugged. Ginny looked unconvinced. 

“Is something the matter bet- ” Ginny was cut off by the knock on the door. It was Harry. Saved from the awkward conversation by the boy-who-lived. He came in and hugged Hermione. 

“I can’t believe you are moving to America,” Harry said. “Do you have to go?” his voice came out a little whiny.

“I do have to,” Hermione said.

Her parents arrived shortly afterwards. Her mother fussed over her, asking her if she had packed everything, if she had her witch passport and ticket with her. Hermione rolled her eyes and assured her that everything was taken care of. 

Soon, it was time to go. She had packed her luggage in her day tote which had an undetectable extension charm placed on it.

She hugged and kissed all four of them and tried not to cry too much. Her parents left for their muggle transport. Hermione took a last look around her empty flat. 

Harry, Ginny and Hermione stepped out and Hermione locked it. She handed the key to Harry to give it to the landlord. They had already put an “available on rent” sign on the door. 

With a final goodbye, she apparated away to the Ministry. 

The Magical Transportation department was bustling with activity even though it was a Sunday. She made her way to the Portkey section. Much like the Muggle airports, the display behind the receptionist’s desk showed the scheduled time and destination of the Portkeys. She was asked to show her wand as identification and fill a form. 

She still had some time before her Portkey was due to activate, so she sat down at the nearby waiting area. She pulled out a book and tried to concentrate on the words. She was uncharacteristically reading the same paragraph for ten minutes. At five minutes to her scheduled departure, she put the book back in her bag and waited to be called. 

There was a commotion and the door of the Portkey section banged open. Everyone looked up to stare at the person responsible for the disturbance.

Draco was standing at the door, pulling out his identity card. The security guards backed down when they saw that he was a Ministry Law enforcement officer. He looked around and his eyes found Hermione’s. 

She had stood up to watch the commotion. He strode towards her, looking at her coldly down his nose. He resembled his old school-bully self so much that Hermione backed down from him as he towered over her. 

“You are going to America?” he demanded. His eyes were not cold anymore. They were burning. 

“Y-yes,” she stammered. 

“Why?” Pain and fury. 

“I told you. I think it’s a great offer. I need the change. I am fed up with this country,” she recited. Her tone was nothing but casual. She was aiming for casual. 

“Hermione...” he swallowed. He came closer. 

Her first name on his lips made her shiver. That was bad. She had to make some excuse and get him out of there. If he stayed, she was going to lose control of herself. She might confess everything and jump on him, or she might hex him. Both desires were strong at the moment. 

Why did he have to make everything so difficult? He had disappeared for a week, why couldn’t he have stayed away for another five minutes?

“I don’t have time for this right now, Malfoy.” She backed away from him. “I have a Portkey to catch in four minutes,” she said while pointedly looking at her watch.

“Granger..., don’t go,” he pleaded. 

Something bubbled inside her. It was fury. How dare he demand her to stay when he was the reason that she was moving away from her home? It was his fault for making her fall so hard for him that the thought of working alongside him, seeing him everyday and not being with him was too much for her. 

She hated him and his stupid pureblood traditions. Who still has betrothal contracts? It was the twenty-first century for Circe’s sake. She hated that he had cheated on his fiancé with her and then had gone ahead and wiped that memory from his mind. She felt used. 

“You don’t have any right to make such demands,” Hermione said through her teeth. 

“I am not demanding. I am requesting,” Draco said, his tone still very soft. “I can’t... I can’t let you go after... it’s hard for me to explain because you have no memory of it...” she had never seen him less confident than he was in that moment. 

Hermione froze. 

“You...you remember?” Hermione asked him after a long pause. 

Understanding came to his eyes. “You haven’t wiped your memory either?” he asked. 

“No.. but I thought you had. You never contacted me afterwards,” she accused. 

“You didn’t either, Granger,” he gently said. “I thought you had wiped yours, so clearly, you did not want anything to do with me so I did not bother you.”

“ _ I _ don’t want to be with you?” She scoffed. “You are engaged! You can’t be with me.” 

“I am not,” he insisted. 

She let out a frustrated huff. “It doesn’t matter if you believe in it or not. Magical betrothal contracts are binding. You won’t be able to back down.” Hermione felt so frustrated. 

“I can and I have,” he said. 

She was stunned. 

“What? How? When?”

“I broke up with Astoria three months ago. The process of nullifying the contract has been ongoing for about two months now. That’s why the Greengrasses had come to meet my parents. They were trying to negotiate if something can be done to continue with it. Astoria still wanted to be with me but I put my foot down.” 

“This whole week I was busy with the final legal proceedings. I had to pull a lot of strings and ask in a lot of favours to get it done in a hurry. It’s done. I am not bound of that contract anymore.” 

There was silence as she processed the information. He was free. He was not engaged. He could be with her if he wanted so. 

“Let me get this straight. You were broken up before the weekend? I wasn’t an accomplice in you cheating on your fiancé?” She tried and failed to hide her elation from her voice. 

He grinned, “Well technically...”

She made an exasperated sound. 

He chuckled. “I assure you, Granger. I did not cheat. The contract was already being contested at the time.” 

She still wasn’t sure of his feelings towards her, though. 

“So...What does this mean?” she asked him. 

“What do you want it to mean?” he asked. 

She was frustrated to say the least. “I am not playing this game anymore. Do you want to be with me or not?” It took all her Gryffindor courage to ask him that. Stupid Slytherins and their stupid indirect ways.

He smirked. “Not how I imagined you would ask me out, but I will take it.” 

He invaded her personal space. Looking deep in her eyes, he said, “yes, Granger, I desperately want to be with you. Why do you think I was in such a hurry to get out of the contract? I did not want anything to come between us anymore.” His eyes were glinting with sincerity though his tone was a little playful. Playful felt normal… who was she kidding… playful felt like heaven. It was so Draco. 

His intense eyes made her remember the way he had looked at her this way for the first time. In the pub, when the potion hit him, all she saw was love in his eyes. It was sudden. What if it was all potion induced? She was sure her feelings were true, but what if his weren’t?

“No!” She blurted. “Draco this is all because of the potion.” 

“Granger, the potion has been out of our system since Monday morning.” 

“I saw you fall for me under its influence. It was not real then. What if it isn’t real now?” her voice shook. 

“Hermione, it was real for me at the time too.” 

“No, I saw the change in your eyes. It was because of the potion.” She knew it was all too good to be true. 

He stepped closer and put his hands on top of her arms. “Granger, what you saw was my Occlumency walls torn down. The potion just made me more courageous and open to expressing my feelings. They have been there for some time now. I fell for you a while ago... It was you who was forced into this by that stupid dare.” He dropped his hands and moved away from her. He looked down at the floor. His posture was slumped. “Maybe you don’t really want to be with me.” 

He looked so sad. Her chest felt heavy seeing his despair. She had always felt fiercely protective of him whenever he was vulnerable. It was her turn to move towards him.

“My feelings are as real as yours. I can’t believe it took me so long to realise them. I am glad I finally did.” She put a hand on his cheek and made him look at her. She smiled at him and his eyes crinkled the way she loved when he was genuinely happy. 

“Remind me to thank Theo,” Draco said. 

“You are going to have to do it before I kill him,” Hermione said with mock severity. 

Draco dramatically gasped and put his hand on his chest. “Do you really want the first thing you do as my girlfriend is to kill one of my closest friends?”

“Fine! I will have to do with a minor hex. Only for you, boyfriend.” 

They grinned at each other. 

They moved at the same time. Lips crashed and Draco put his arms around her. She gripped his cloak and pulled him closer. She had forgotten where they were. She had forgotten that people were watching them. She heard some hooting and catcalls and she finally stepped away from Draco. 

He pulled her out of the department, into the main lobby and quickly apparated them inside his townhouse. 

The moment their feet touched the ground, they kissed and mauled each other. Their cloaks fell on the floor. He backed her towards the kitchen island and lifted her to sit on top. It gave him better access to her without having to bend down too much. After he was satisfied with her lips, he moved to her throat. 

Her over-working brain was not letting her enjoy the moment.

“Draco, my furniture and stuff...ammm...” He had popped open the top button of her shirt and was kissing along her collarbones. “I sent it to New York.” 

“We can get it back.” He breathed on her bare shoulder. He had popped a few more buttons. 

“I gave up my flat... _ gasp _ ...I have nowhere to live.” She whined as his hand brushed the top of her breasts. 

“Move in with me. I loved having you here.” Draco divided his attention between her two nipples over her bra. He tore the rest of her shirt buttons and reached around her for her bra buckle.

“What am I going to tell the Law-firm?” 

“You can work at their local branch or you can work at the Ministry along with me.” He succeeded in undoing her bra. 

“What am I going to tell Harry and Ginny? And my parents?” 

“Tell your friends the truth.” He shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to remove her shirt and bra. 

“You want me to tell them that I shagged you for a whole weekend for a dare and to see if we were compatible and it was successful?” 

His smile was smug. “Why not? And as per your parents... Tell them that you have reconsidered and are going to stay in Britain, after all.” He put one of her nipples in his mouth and sucked at it hungrily, making Hermione’s brain short-circuit. Her brain was still working furiously, coming up with more things to worry about, and he noticed. 

“You weren’t this wound up last time. I don’t like this version of you, Granger,” he said and smiled crookedly as he reluctantly looked up at her face. 

Her eyes narrowed at him. “I was under the influence of a very strong potion, particularly aimed to make me reckless and carefree,” Hermione said indignantly. “This is my true self, Malfoy. I am not easy going. Think before you commit.” 

“I have known you for three years now, Granger. I have been in love with you for half of it. I think I am sufficiently prepared.” 

He slowly removed her trousers and coerced her into giving him her full attention. He was as stubborn as she was when it came to getting what he wanted. He won and her brain finally stopped worrying obsessively. 

It was blissful to be able to touch him again, to feel his body against hers. The sex was as mind-blowing as it was on the last weekend. The potion had not illusioned it in any way. Hermione was blissed out and overwhelmed. 

As they were getting dressed, Hermione asked him, “How did you know I was leaving today?”

“You don’t know the hell that I have been through this whole morning, Granger. I met Hannah when I was dawdling in Diagon Alley while hoping to run into you. She asked me how I felt now that you were actually leaving. I didn't know what she meant and she told me that you were leaving for America… which reminds me, I need to owl her and apologise because I ran to the Apparation point at that moment and came to your flat. It was empty and had a ‘for rent’ sign. I went to Potter’s place and they weren’t home. I knew Weasley was my last chance. I went back to Diagon alley, to his shop and demanded an answer. The dickhead denied to tell me anything, at first. I had to beg him for the information, Granger. I sullied the Malfoy pride for you.” Draco said shaking his head as though he still did not believe that he had done that. 

She pulled him closer again. 

“Wow! I am sorry you had to do that,” Hermione said. “I know it must have killed you to beg, especially to Ron.” 

His rueful expressions vanished. He smiled. “It was worth it. I would do it a thousand times over if it meant that I would get to be with you.” He paused. His eyes suddenly became more vulnerable than she had ever seen them. “I want it all, Hermione. All that we talked about that night.” 

The intensity in his eyes scared her a little. “Maybe we should start with a normal date without any influence and see what happens.” 

“Fine. But I already know what happens. We have lived it. The potion’s name literally says ‘What if’. It just gave us some courage and a few illusions depending on our deepest desires... I am in, Hermione. Fully.” 

She completely understood how he felt because she was right there with him. It just felt unnatural to her practical mind to say it when they had been together for only a few hours but she knew in her heart that that’s exactly what she wanted too. “Me too, Draco. Me too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Let me know what you think of the story.
> 
> Kudos and comments are very welcome. Thank you so much for the love and appreciation received so far for the story. It means a lot and encourages me to keep writing. 
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> Love, 
> 
> VGinny

**Author's Note:**

> Updates will be every Monday. 
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> VGinny


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